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Notes:

As Barris basks in the glamour of his two worlds - entertainment and espionage - his life begins to spiral out of control. He receives mass criticism from the public who accuses him of contaminating the airwaves… and he finds himself marked for death by a traitor operative. Barris must regain control of his life. Both of them.

Drama Comedy - This offbeat comedy/thriller will appeal to moviegoers with a taste
for something a little mainstream than usual, likely younger
adults,
particularly males. It may be too strange for most mainstream
audiences. Subject matter makes the film inappropriate for young
children.

James Berardinelli, Internet Critic
Full
Review Above Average "Based on Barris' 'unauthorized
autobiography,' one can safely assume that the movie, like its written
inspiration, exaggerates. Or, as the saying goes: Never let the facts stand in
the way of a good story. Of course, it would help if this really was a good
story, rather than a mediocre one. But there's nothing terribly witty, clever,
satirical, or irreverent about Charlie Kauffman's screenplay.''

OPINION OVERVIEWThe following is the original "What's Worth
Watching" write-up for this movie.

Moviegoer Opinions:

Wow, I haven't seen opinions this mixed in a long time. About half enjoyed it and half didn't. Quite a few even hated it. So, since there were a small percent who truly enjoyed it and a large percent who didn't enjoy it or hated it, I would say your probability of enjoying this movie are pretty low.

Cinema Review Prediction: (before moviegoer opinions are collected)This is a hard one to predict because it's not a bad movie but it's certainly different. I would say the average moviegoer isn't going to care much for this movie, which is fine because it's obvious this movie wasn't made for the average moviegoer. If you're the type who enjoys quirky art house movies and don't mind the strong content then you will almost certainly enjoy this unusual story. It's also fun to see the many cameos of very big stars.

Young, energetic, and focused on a top career in the growing television industry, Chuck Barris finds himself being followed by a suspicious character who quickly lures him into a secretive and dangerous world: that of a CIA operative. While Barris gains notoriety as a dynamic television producer - creating such innovative and popular game shows as "The Newlywed Game" and the self-hosted "The Gong Show" - he regularly executes assassinations for the United States government. As ratings rise, Barris incorporates his shows into his secret life: winning couples on "The Dating Game" find themselves shipped off to "fabulous Helsinki" and "romantic West Berlin" for their dream dates - it isn't Paris, but it provides chaperone Barris a cover for his covert missions.

As Barris basks in the glamour of his two worlds - entertainment and espionage - his life begins to spiral out of control. He is torn between the woman who loves him and the mysterious woman of his fantasies. He receives mass criticism from the public who accuses him of contaminating the airwaves… and he finds himself marked for death by a traitor operative.